My Personal Philosophy of Education 1

My Personal Philosophy of Education

Gillian Pritchett

Wesleyan College
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My educational background involves both public and private schools, both large and

small, with different values and philosophies of education. I first attended a small private school

that was perrenialistic in values because they taught “Christian Doctrine {as} an important

aspect of the curriculum. (Webb, 2017)” Christian morals and values were an important part of

this school system because it was a privatized organization. In my later years of elementary,

middle, and high school, I attended my local public schools that taught a large variety of

philosophies in many different combinations. I have had a lot of experience with progressivism

and social constructivism in a variety of forms because I was always encourage to use my

knowledge to benefit others and my community. As a result of my years in my local, public

school system, I identify most with progressivism and social reconstructionism. The core values

of essentialism are necessary in all forms of education, but I believe that teachers should educate

students on how to apply their knowledge to real world experiences that they may encounter in

the future.

I grew up in a middle class neighborhood and have always attended middle class schools.

I am a Christian and attended several private schools in my early youth. When I was younger, I

was politically confused because my father was a die-hard republican, whereas my mother was a

democrat. My parents had conflicting belief systems, which prompted me to choose my own

beliefs as I grew older. I have a brother that is nearly ten years younger than me and as a result, I

am able to connect with the current curriculum for elementary aged children because I often

assist him with his homework, which involves a lot of common core work. As a result of my
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childhood, I have grown to be an adult that strives for social change. I have always loved giving

to others and volunteering for the benefit of my community, so I identify most with

progressivism and social reconstructionism because these philosophies promote the need for

social and political change in the coming years.

A set of structure and order is necessary in the classroom, so I also identify with

constructivism. Wesleyan College’s Conceptual Framework is based off of the philosophy of

constructivism because it organizes learning into categories that,” represent the crucial

knowledge, skills, and dispositions of exemplary teachers (Wesleyan College, 2017).”

Constructivism is best defined as a theory where,” people construct their own understanding and

knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences.

(Constructivism, 2017)” I believe that students should be able to teach themselves some of the

material through different activities such as group discussions and individual research. However,

the teacher should use a variety of methods to help the students to succeed.

The purpose of school is to prepare students for their next step in life. Whether it be

college or the workforce, the public school system should be a gateway for students to enter their

adult lives. From elementary school to high school, students should have the opportunity to learn

the basic subjects and to discover their own interests, in order to better prepare them for their

futures. Under the philosophy of social reconstructionism, the purpose of schooling is “to

critically examine all cultural and educational institutions and recommend change and reform as

needed” in order to provide an education to the students that prepares the students to work
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towards societal change (Webb, 2017). In my experiences, most of my teachers in high school

believed that the purpose of education was to obtain a diploma, in order to move on in life.

A variety of instructional methods should be used in the classroom that focus on the

individualization of the members of the class. Every student learns in different ways and has a

variety of interests that could be integrated into the basic instructional methods in the classroom.

For example, a teacher should meet with their students individually to discover the student’s

learning abilities and interests in order to best accommodate them when addressing the class. A

teacher may want to consider weekly meetings with the students to monitor their progress and

keep all records up to date. Another instructional method is to focus “on active learning and on

activities such as tutoring younger students,” because those who can teach often know the

material well.

I believe that the core subjects such as math, science, English, and history should be

taught in schools. I also believe that common core should be reformed immediately. Common

core should rely on standards and concepts that must be taught at certain checkpoints in a child’s

educational career. I believe that every state should be teaching the same concepts per grade

level so that transfer students can easily transition from on school to another. However, the

methodology behind each concept should have variation. As stated previously, students are

unique and all learn in different ways. Teachers should demonstrate multiple problem solving

skills and strategies, especially in math, so that the student can choose the method that works

best for his or her unique learning style. Subjects such as art, theatre, physical education, and
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music are also vital in providing a well-rounded education for the students. From an early age,

students should have access to the arts, in order to discover their interests, hidden talents, and

abilities.

Learning should be assessed on an individual basis. Testing is not the long awaited

answer to the educational problems that have developed over the years. While testing is

important in assessing growth of learning over a period of time, some students are prone to

testing poorly because of testing anxiety. These students who inherently do not test well should

not be punished for their inability to perform well on a test. I believe that individual assessment

could prove to be beneficial, specifically for these students. Students may feel more comfortable

being assessed by a person that they are familiar with such as an administrator or another

educator.

Classroom management should further push the child to excel academically.

“Progressivism views learning as educating “the whole child”,” because children learn best in

environments that encourage positive growth and development (Webb, 2017). “The atmosphere

of the classroom would be active, experience directed, and self-directed,” because students are

more likely to retain information if learned while in or around a positive area (Dewey, 2012).

According to Todd Finley, teachers should,” Keep your consequences as minimal as possible

(Finley, 2016).” A direct contrast to behaviorism, a child who is constantly punished will not do

well academically or socially. Teachers must,” anticipate problems and be creative,” in order to

best serve the student body as a leader and counselor. The classroom should be centered on the
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student and his or her needs. The management strategies should strive to accommodate the

student at all times.

In conclusion, my belief system is derived from a variety of philosophies including

progressivism, social Reconstructionism, and constructivism. I also believe that essentialism

should be the basis of all learning that takes place inside of the classroom. The focus of the

education system should always be the students and their individuality. Teachers should strive to

help each individual student to attain their individual goals. The school is a place that is meant to

help students to exceed beyond their educational careers and in life. I believe that through grades

K-12, it is a time for the students to grow as individuals and to expand upon their previous

knowledge. Overall, students should be the main priority and concern of every educator.
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References

Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved April 04, 2017, from
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/
Dewey, J. (2012). School and Society & The Child and the Curriculum. Dover Publications.
Finley, T. (2016, April 05). 19 Big and Small Classroom Management Strategies. Retrieved
April 04, 2017, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/big-and-small-classroom-management-
strategies-todd-finley
Webb, L. D., & Metha, A. (2017). Foundations of American education. Boston: Pearson.
Wesleyan College (2017). Conceptual Framework. Macon, GA.